Sale Overview

Conducted annually since 1917 the Easter Yearling Sale is the pinnacle of thoroughbred sales in the Southern Hemisphere.

“From start to finish the quality available at Easter is second to none. From sale toppers like All Too Hard to exceptional types in Session Two like Cox Plate winner Shamus Award and Golden Slipper winner Mossfun, there are first class racehorses throughout Easter to suit a wide range of budgets,” points out Inglis National Bloodstock Director Jonathan D’Arcy.

The 2014 sale, the 98th edition, concluded with a first class 83% clearance rate in Session I and records eclipsed in Session II thanks to a diverse buying bench competing on top quality yearlings by a wide variety of sires.

“We are very pleased to see the overall combined gross from Session I and II on par with last year at nearly $91 million. Vendors must be congratulated on presenting their drafts in such great order. Buyers were here to pick out the best of the best and we look forward to these Easter graduates hitting the racetracks around the globe in the coming years,” said Inglis’ Managing Director Mark Webster.

326 yearlings from Session I were sold at an average of $252,873. The 83% clearance rate was the best since the all-time highs of 2008.

A new record Session II average of $94,922 was set in 2014 with 83 lots sold at a clearance rate of 77% - well above 2013 figures.

Hong Kong bloodstock agent George Moore, who bought Hong Kong Classic Mile winner Able Friend from Easter in 2012, went to $1,000,000 to secure Lot 307 – a colt by Exceed And Excel from the family of Golden Slipper winner Mossfun. The colt was offered by Kia-Ora Stud.

Moore was then the underbidder on the final day on Mossfun's half-brother. The Magic Albert colt offered by Fairview Park Stud as Lot 523 set a new record price for a yearling in Easter Session II when selling to Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum for $750,000.

For the second year in a row Shadwell Australasia’s agent Angus Gold was the busiest of buyers at Easter spending $8,085,000 on 20 yearlings in April 2014.

Other buyers to spend $2,000,000 or more at this year’s sale were New Zealand agent Dean Hawthorne (11 yearlings for $2,685,000), Hong Kong agent George Moore (six lots for $2,390,000), Hong Kong Jockey Club (seven for $2,170,000), Gai Waterhouse/ James Harron / Round Table Racing (11 yearlings for $2,105,000) and John Warren/China Horse Club (four lots for $2,040,000).

41 yearlings by Fastnet Rock changed hands for over $15,485,000 in Session One, but the super sire was unable to replicate his 2013 record average. His progeny still sold extremely well at an average price of $377,683.

Street Cry finished 2014 Easter as the leading sire by average (3 or more sold) with 10 yearlings selling at an average of $465,500. Next were Redoute’s Choice (22 sold at average of $380,909), Fastnet Rock (41 at $377,683), Choisir (four at $367,500), Snitzel (13 at $310,385), More Than Ready (30 at $278,167), Northern Meteor (24 at $249,479), Exceed And Excel (20 at $246,500), Magic Albert (five at $232,000) and Medaglia d’Oro (seven at $231,786).

Coolmore Stud sold the overall sale topper. The professional Jerry’s Plains operation finished at the top of the leading vendors list having sold 29 of their 32 yearlings for $9,180,000.

Arrowfield Stud (26 sold for $7,610,000), Widden Stud (30 for $6,545,000), Kia-Ora Stud (16 for $295,938) and Kitchwin Hills (19 for $3,350,000) round out the top five vendors by aggregate.

Cressfield Stud, Segenhoe Stud and Tyreel Stud finished Session One as the leading vendors by average (3 or more sold), recording averages of $583,333, $440,000 and $431,667 respectively.